In today’s world there is a tremendous focus on one’s personal appearance. It is no surprise that this trend has spread to the dental world as well. Cosmetic dentistry offers a myriad of options to help you achieve your best smile. With the many advancements available at their fingertips, dentists are able to preserve more of their patients’ teeth than ever before, thus giving patients a more beautiful yet still natural smile. Consumers are now looking to their dental practices for way more than just clean teeth.
For starters, most dentists are now using porcelain fillings for cavities rather than the traditional metal. These fillings, which may be covered under most dental plans, allow dentists to closely match the color and texture of their patients’ teeth, making the fillings much more ‘natural-looking’ than their metal predecessors. Another option is teeth whitening, which is also the most popular cosmetic dental procedure. It currently represents a billion dollar industry and still continues to gain popularity. Dentists offer both in office whitening and take home kits. Either method utilizes peroxide bleaching and each can be very effective in getting that dazzling white smile.
Dental bonding is a great and affordable way to repair imperfect teeth and even change their shape and color. Dentists use a resin, or durable plastic material which they paint directly on a patient’s teeth. A laser light is then used to harden the material which literally bonds to the teeth. Each tooth that is bonded will take about one hour in your dentist’s office. One potential to downside to this dental procedure is that the bonding is not permanent and may wear down or break over time.
A longer lasting, but more costly way to improve your smile, is to get dental veneers. Veneers are essentially caps custom made to fit over your teeth to correct major cosmetic problems like chipped teeth, severely discolored teeth or teeth with a rough or less than perfect texture.
Finally, you can opt for a complete smile makeover which encompasses more than one of the above cosmetic dental procedures. You and your dentist should discuss which options are best for you so that you may achieve the optimal results and the best smile possible. A great dentist will help you greatly by giving you a very realistic idea of what you can expect following your procedures. With so many choices out there, there is really no reason not to be perfectly pleased with your smile.
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